Pros: Winskill is a pretty community park that plays under a nice canopy of trees and has many challenges in the form of moderately wooded fairways with plenty of bushes and other hazards off of some of the fairways.

Skill level: Winskill makes for a really nice place for newer players to become aquinted with the basics of disc golf while at the same time allowing for practice in an environment which punishes bad shots. You won't find the same ability to punish at the Little Mountain type courses in the area and this feedback is great for newer players in helping to fuel their improvement.

Oldschool flavor: Several other reviewers have mentioned the course's age and I think the layout definitely does have a very oldschool feel to it with several tunnel and short turnover shots common to the frisbee and early disc days.

Cons: The main drawbacks I see at the original nine holes at Winskill is firstly the length, with nearly all holes under 220 or so feet and secondly in that on many of the holes you throw down a relatively open fairway to a basket that is bumped right up against trees and bushes. This means that errant shots that are cruising much too far past the pin often grab a branch or tree trunk and end up parked. It creates an artificial reward for players who can't really control distance. I'd still like to see well protected pins and fairways but perhaps with the thought in mind that these might serve as aids when placed too close to pins.

Navigation: It is a bit difficult because the flow isn't often intuitive and because there just doesn't seem to be much interest in keeping the course well-maintained. This is complicated by additional pins, teeing areas, and alternate fairways. Not a problem (and in fact nice to have alternate holes) for locals but a challenge for the first-time visitor.

Other Thoughts: Overall, Winskill is pretty traditional and I wouldn't recommend travelers to head out of their way to play at Winskill. The course is a nice challenge for newer players who can effectly practice their accuracy short- to mid-range shots in a pretty park. Experienced players aren't going to find much out here to get excited about, even from the alternate teeing areas. If you are planning on waiting for a ferry though, this course is in the perfect place only a few minutes from the Tswawassen terminal!

Pros:
Established in 1976 by the Royal Canadian Frisbee Association, Winskill Park in Tsawwassen, B.C. was the very first pole course in all of Canada. South of Vancouver, this beginner friendly nine hole course is mainly flat and lightly wooded. All holes on the course are Par 3 and range anywhere from 133 - 315 feet. The design of the course has players throwing straight forward on more then half the holes, with a few doglegs left and right. The terrain is mainly grass with large trees and bushes spread throughout the course, especially along the sides of the fairways and occasionally near the pin to add to the overall challenge. Mach 3 baskets have been installed over the years to add to the enjoyment, making Winskill the perfect place to learn the game, or for the more advanced player…a great place to practice.

The flow to the course has players teeing off right along side the Winskill Aquatic Centre, which is where you will find parking, and then finishing up along side the fairway of one throwing back toward the Aquatic Centre. This makes it easy to stop by your vehicle to change out your bag or to get anything you may need in case you are looking to play multiple rounds. Garbage cans can be found near the Aquatic Centre along with restrooms and seats, but there are none on the course which really isn't a problem considering the course takes no more then 45 minutes to play.

Although fairly short, hole #3 stood out to me as the most memorable. At 216 feet long, this straight shot has players throwing right past two large clusters of trees on either side of the fairway where when it rains, it creates two large bodies of water which serve as a nice OB. The basket itself is straight ahead and protected by another cluster of trees and some taller bushes making putts a little more difficult. It is a very beautiful hole, especially when the leaves begin to change color in the fall.

Cons:
As other reviewers have stated, the course can be a bit tough to navigate considering the disc golf course is often neglected. There are no tee signs or pads, so printing off a map is essential for your first time through. Tee pads are pretty easy to locate considering the locals have dug out some dirt patches. However, hole #2 was the only tee that had multiple areas and therefore was the most confusing of the nine. The hole is also extremely short and unimaginative. It would be nice to see a redesign of this course but realistically, I don't see it happening due to the fact that so many other park users use the area for other activities. I am however glad that it is still in the ground considering how long it has been around. It is a bit of a landmark in the disc golf world, especially in Canada!

Other Thoughts:
Since all holes are fairly short, players can easily challenge themselves using a mid and putter as I did. Because it rains a lot in the Great White North, as it does in Seattle, using the standing water on the course as Ob's adds to the overall challenge and is highly recommended!

Also, as some of the locals have pointed out, playing the various layouts would add to the overall challenge and enjoyment this course has to offer. I could see Winskill Park getting old real quick if I had to play the same redundant holes over and over again. For being installed in 1976, the layout would have been quite impressive for its time but since courses are now much longer and Par for courses is greater, this course just doesn't hold up to what it once was. It was a privilege to play this course considering its history, but think that it could use a course makeover.